You do not want a brand new Fireplace TV Stick

Almost each piece of know-how, whether or not it is your desktop, laptop computer, pill, or smartwatch, ultimately slows down. Why it is slowing down could possibly be on account of varied elements, akin to growing old {hardware}, outdated software program, or non permanent recordsdata cluttering the system. Streaming devices and smart TVs are additionally liable to this challenge since they’re basically mini-computers.

Every time I hear {that a} pal or member of the family’s sensible TV or streaming stick is performing sluggish, the primary query I all the time get is, “Ought to I purchase a brand new one?” And my instant response is all the time “Not but.” Why? Similar to computer systems, sensible TVs and streaming sticks want upkeep occasionally to carry out at their finest.

Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks (or its different Fire TV devices) aren’t any exception to this both. In case you really feel like your Fireplace Stick is lagging or not as quick because it was once, it may not essentially imply you need to rush out and purchase a brand new one. There are methods to hurry up your Fireplace Stick, whatever the mannequin you’ve got, and one simple manner to take action in actually seconds is to clear the cache.

What’s cache, and why ought to I clear it?

Cache is non permanent information that apps depend on, but when it turns into too full, it may negatively influence your machine

Cache is non permanent recordsdata saved in your machine that apps use to shortly entry information and enhance efficiency. Every time you open an app in your Fireplace Stick, it accesses its personal cache to retailer and retrieve information, serving to the app run extra easily.

Each app in your Fireplace Stick has its personal cache, which shops non permanent information like picture thumbnails for reveals and flicks, your watch historical past, search historical past, login particulars, and replace recordsdata. Cache is not unique to Fireplace Sticks; it is discovered on many units, akin to PCs, smartphones, gaming consoles, sensible TVs, and different streaming units like Apple TV and Roku.

Whereas cache advantages your machine by serving to apps carry out higher, over time, it may truly sluggish it down if it turns into too full. A full cache means the app has to sift via extra recordsdata to search out the information it is in search of and may also trigger glitches, akin to an app freezing or stuttering, because it tries to navigate all of the cached information.

So, should you’ve been utilizing your Fireplace Stick for a very long time and have not cleared the cache not too long ago, that could possibly be why it feels sluggish. If you wish to clear the cache in your Fireplace TV Stick to enhance efficiency, here is find out how to do it.

Methods to clear the cache in your Fireplace Stick

Amazon has made clearing the cache on its Fireplace TV Sticks, Fireplace TV Dice, and Fireplace TVs quite simple. Conveniently, in a Fireplace TV replace launched earlier this 12 months, Amazon added a brand new function that permits you to clear the cache for all apps in your machine with only one button within the settings menu. This is a step-by-step information on how to do that:

1. On the Fireplace TV residence web page, navigate to Settings. Alternatively, press the gear icon in your distant, then choose Settings.

2. Within the Settings menu, select Functions.

3. Underneath Functions, you must now see a cache function known as: Clear All Utility Caches.

4. Choose Clear All Utility Caches. It can then inform you how a lot house you’ll unlock by clearing the cache.

5. Press Verify to finish clearing your cache.

In case you do not see an choice to “Clear All Utility Caches,” it might be as a result of your Fireplace TV is on an older software program replace. You may nonetheless clear the cache for every app individually by choosing “Handle Put in Functions,” then selecting an app, and choosing “Clear Cache” for it.

On my Fireplace TV Stick 4K Max, I normally clear the cache at the beginning of each month to assist preserve issues operating easily and stop slowdowns earlier than they occur.

Different methods to hurry up your Fireplace Stick

Be sure its software program is up-to-date, and handle its storage

Credit score: Amazon

Whereas clearing the cache is one approach to velocity up your Fireplace Stick, there are a couple of different issues you possibly can attempt to enhance its efficiency.

The very first thing I all the time do after clearing my cache is restart my Fireplace TV Stick. A restart is all the time useful as a result of it resets reminiscence and apps in your machine and helps repair any glitches you is likely to be experiencing. To restart your Fireplace TV Stick, go to Settings > My Fireplace TV > Restart. Alternatively, you possibly can simply unplug the ability wire for a couple of seconds after which plug it again in to restart it.

One other approach to increase your Fireplace TV Stick’s efficiency is by making certain it is up to date. Amazon often releases new software program updates for its Fireplace TV units, which usually embody bug fixes, efficiency enhancements, and generally new options (just like the cache-clearing one I discussed earlier). To replace your Fireplace TV, navigate to Settings > My Fireplace TV > About > Set up Replace.

Lastly, in case your Fireplace TV Stick is operating low on storage, it could possibly be inflicting it to decelerate. Think about uninstalling apps you have not used not too long ago to unlock house. In case you’re not sure which apps to take away, a few of the preinstalled ones in your Fireplace TV, akin to Amazon Children, Amazon Luna, Amazon Music, and Amazon Images, is likely to be good choices. I don’t use these on my Fireplace TV Stick, so I uninstalled them to save lots of a couple of hundred MBs of house.

To see how a lot storage you’ve got left, go to Settings > Functions. On the proper facet of the display, you will see the accessible inner house. To uninstall apps, go to Managed Put in Functions, choose an app, then press the rewind button (